Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/89

 The German Invasions 53 shine and adorned the sky with stars ; who filled the waters with creeping things, the land with animals, the air with winged creatures ; by whose bounty the earth is glad with crops, the trees with fruit, the vines with grapes; by whose hand the human race was created ; whose bounty has ordained that all things should give homage and service to man, whom he created." But when the queen had said these things, the mind of Clovis was not stirred to believe. He answered: "By the will of our gods all things are created and produced. Evi- dently your god can do nothing, and it is not even proved that he belongs to the race of gods." Meantime the faithful queen presented her son for bap- tism. She had the church adorned with tapestry, seeking to attract by this splendor him whom her exhortations had not moved. But the child whom they called Ingomer, after he had been born again through baptism, died in his white baptismal robe. Then the king reproached the queen bit- terly. " If the child had been consecrated in the name of my gods he would be alive still. But now, because he is baptized in the name of your god, he cannot live." . . . After this another son was born to him, and called in baptism Clodomir. He fell very ill. Then the king said : " Because he, like his brother, was baptized in the name of Christ, he must soon die." But his mother prayed, and by God's will the child recovered. The queen unceasingly urged the king to acknowledge the true God, and forsake idols. But he could not in any wise be brought to believe until a war broke out with the Alemanni. Then he was by necessity compelled to confess what he had before willfully denied. It happened that the two armies were in battle, and there was great slaughter. Clovis' army was near to utter destruction. He saw the danger ; his heart was stirred ; he was moved to tears, and he raised his eyes to heaven, say- ing : " Jesus Christ, whom Clotilde declares to be the son of the living God, who it is said givest aid to the oppressed, and victory to those who put their hope in thee, I beseech the